Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coloma, California 95613
Monday, July 5, 1993 9:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER A 40 MINUTE LOCAL FOR HIRE SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE PILOT DESCENDED INTO AN OAK TREE STUDDED FIELD FOR LANDING. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE HAD USED THIS FIELD FOR LANDINGS ON 12 TO 15 OCCASIONS. DURING THE APPROACH, THE BASKET GRAZED A TREE TOP. THE PILOT SAID THE TREE CONTACT SLOWED THE BALLOON'S PROGRESS SLIGHTLY, BUT DID 'NOT DEFLECT THE BALLOON FROM ITS FLIGHT PATH.' THE BALLOON BASKET MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND ABOUT 30 FEET BEYOND THE TREE IN WHAT THE PILOT DESCRIBED AS A 'STAND-UP LANDING, WITH LITTLE OR NO DRAG ACROSS THE GROUND.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE INJURED PASSENGER'S ANKLE 'WENT OUT FROM UNDER HER AND TWISTED, BREAKING THE ANKLE IN THREE PLACES.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the passenger's injury to an ankle during the landing touchdown.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COLOMA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95613
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 939
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1025
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35GS
NTSB Number LAX93LA279
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RAVEN
Aircraft Model S-60A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-60A
Aircraft Serial Number S60A-226
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
Aircraft Category Balloon
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 0
Number of Engines 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 30 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96
Airframe Hours 640
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALAN V. EHRGOTT
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 502
Aircraft Owner City COLOMA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95613
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --